Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-07
WILD HORSES.
A Band in Existence in
Southern California.
HOW THEY ARE CAUGHT.
An Old Hunter Tells His Expert.
ences With Them to a
Herald" Reporter.

1t may not be generally known tina
within one hundred miles of Los An
geles exist droves of wild horses, al
free and untrammelled as in the days
when the fiowery State was inhabited
by naught but its aborigines. A
HERALD man on a vacation up country
last week stopped at the little town oi
Lancaster, the metropolis of the Ante
lope valley. Beyond hunting, there
was little to be done and in the course
of his peregrinations he had the good
fortune to encounter the Nimrod of the
district yclept "Antelope Crane"
This worthy individual, who has earn
ed the reputation of being a most
successful hunter of game of all de-
scriptions, proved to be an entertain
ing companion and was ever ready
with new story and experience con-
cerning life in the mountains. He was
continually dilating ON his adventures
with the wild horses which he
said abounded and being
somewhat of sceptic the HERALD
man asked him for that proof which
actual experience alone can give. A
gracious response was accorded and
the next mornings sunrise beheld the
two mounted on sturdy ponies head
ing due east across the wide and un-
broken expanse of country familiar to
all those who have ever visited the
valley. A rest was made about IL
o'clock and the guide announced close
proximity to the objective point,
which is known locally as "Wild
Horse Prairie" 1t was about O'Clock
and the equestrians were travelling
soberly along sweltering under the
rays of blazing sun and each too
listless to speak, when suddenly the
silence was broken by the voice
of Crane saying "there they are."
The scribe looked in the direction
indicated by his companions index
finger and saw black spot far in the
distance, which after intently watch
ing, he saw indicated animal life of
some description. "Let us go to the
windward and we may get close
enough to see them," said the now
rather excited hunter, and nothing
10th the visitor followed his preceptor,
who went off at loose swinging trot
westward. More and more distinct
the black spot grew, until at last the
scepticism which the reporter had
felt the previous day completely dis
appeared as he clearly made out the
outline of some 20 or 80 horses.
"They will be off in minute said
Crane; 'look, they are noticing us
now" and as he spoke the
band of quadrupeds which had
been contentedly grazing, threw
up their heads apparently
shifting the air. A moment later there
was cloud of dust, and at racing
speed they madly dashed away leav-
ing no hope OF pursuit.
"You said that last year you caught
p of these fellows, did you not?" said
the reporter. "Please tell me what
tactics you followed.
"Well," was the response, 81 came
out here with a wagon, four saddle
horses and a man. l then started out
alone, soon came in sight of the band,
and Immediately set in pursuit. L
suppose you are aware that they never
leave their range which is generally
about 25 miles in circumference.
Well, every time that l got within a
couple of miles or so OF my camp,
would ride in, change horses and start
them up again. Now, they could not
stand that very long as l gave
them no chance to feed,
while my horses were being
well nourished, and l also had the
odds of four to one. OF course it was
rather hard on me, but then man
can stand good deal when he wants
to. 1t took me three days to run
them down, and out of band of forty
I lassoed and captured twenty-one, in
Guiding two fine stations. was un-
fortunate with one of them, though. l
had him chained to tree, and he
reared up, fell backwards and broke
his neck"
"What did you do with them"
"Broke them all and sold them to
people about the valley at prices rang
ing from $40 upwards. They make
splendid saddle horses, tough, and
will go all day, and when thoroughly
tanned make very good animals for
buggy use."
"What are they like ?"
ooh, the ordinary California horse,
rather small, compact and we'll
muscled."
GLOW many of them are there row
ing about here-have you any 1dea?'
inquired the reporter. >.
"Well, 1 know of one band of.
twenty-three for certain, and there
NAV be many more farther back In
the country, but have never gone in
search of them beyond this locality
''I suppose you are going out after
them this year again, after your pre-
vious extraordinary success?
"Probably l may. If l do l will let
YOU know, and you can come up and
see for yourself how the thing Is
DONE" -,
And then they turned their horses
heads homewards, and the scribe
passed the time calculating what he
would do with the money II they
caught 23 horses, sold them at $40
each and divided the profits. He was
still calculating the relative pecuniary
advantages of an investment in city
property or starting first-class boot
black stand when his meditations
were cut short by the horses pulling
mn at the Lacaster livery stables and
the fragrant odor Of dinner from an
adjoining hotel brought him back to
cosnizance of his earthly surroundings.